Police arrested a Thai woman and three Nigerian men yesterday, April 28, over alleged links to a Pattaya romance scam operation using mule bank accounts to receive money from victims.
The suspects were arrested at a hotel in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. Tourist police investigators in Pattaya and regional investigators from Provincial Police Region 2 seized 12 mobile phones and 12 bank passbooks from the property.
The Thai suspect was identified as 41 year old Patcharin, while the three Nigerian nationals were identified as Chibueze, Miracle, and John.
Patcharin reportedly confessed to supplying bank accounts to the Nigerian group, including Chibueze, whom she identified as her husband.
She said she was paid 2,000 baht for each bank account and received a further 10% commission for withdrawing and transferring money for the group daily, claiming the highest amount was 30,000 baht a day.
Police said the suspects were part of a wider romance scam network involving Nigerian nationals in Thailand and overseas. Victims were reportedly tricked into transferring money to mule accounts sourced by the group.
The money was then allegedly withdrawn or transferred by other members before being sent to senior figures in Nigeria for laundering.
The suspects and seized items were taken to Bang Lamung Police Station for legal proceedings.
Siam Chon News reported that police filed charges over arranging the sale, rental, or lending of bank accounts, electronic cards, and electronic money accounts for use in technology crimes.
They also face charges under Sections 10 and 11 of the 2023 Emergency Decree for arranging mobile phone numbers registered under other people’s names, and were charged with being members of a secret society under Section 209 of the Criminal Code.
Pattaya tourist police added that the investigation would be expanded to identify other people involved in the network.
Elsewhere, police have dismantled a major romance scam network run by a Nigerian national and five Thai accomplices, accused of swindling victims out of over 114 million baht. Officers also seized assets valued at over 2.5 million baht, believed to be proceeds from the scam.
The story Thai woman, three Nigerians arrested over Pattaya romance scam as seen on Thaiger News.
